Here is my perfect, yet unofficial, college survival kit:

1. A Planner

Purchasing a planner will be the best decision you will make. It isn’t realistic to expect yourself to stay on top of all your work and other life responsibilities without an organized way to remember everything. Buy a weekly or daily planner, and most importantly, USE IT. Every day. 

2. A Laptop

This is an expensive, yet absolutely necessary purchase. Professors post their lectures on the school’s portal and you’ll often have in-class participation activities online. It’s also extremely convenient to have your notes in one place.

3. A Good Backpack

You will be carrying your laptop everywhere. You will be carrying books everywhere. And your back will feel a pain it has never felt before if you don’t invest in a good backpack. Trust me when I tell you that the cute purse you planned to swing over your shoulder will become your worst enemy.

4. A Sticky-Note Pack

You’ll be paying exorbitant prices for your textbook, so read them and use sticky-notes to keep important pages. If you’re planning on selling your books next semester, don’t highlight them but definitely highlight your notes. It makes all the difference when studying.

5. A Water Bottle

You’re human. You need water. If you’re a student, that also means you’ll need caffeine. Don’t waste money by continuously purchasing wasteful products.

6. Good Headphones

Don’t let the conversation happening next to you at the library distract you from your work. Just get some noise-cancelling headphones.

7. A Yoga Mat

This doesn’t necessarily have to be for yoga. As a student, you’ll be sitting for long periods throughout the day, carrying heavy books, and leaning over your desk to write or stare at your laptop. This will take a toll on your body – take a few minutes to stretch and meditate in the morning or evening. As a result, having a successful academic career will be much easier when you’re also taking care of your mental and physical health.

Conclusion

So, here it is: my perfect back-to-college essentials guide. These simple, yet absolutely essential items will be your best friends come midterms. Enjoy your time and study hard!

The post Back to College Essentials 2019 appeared first on Nuage.

Unfortunately, that is not my reality.

I am the textbook definition of a night owl. No matter how early I wake up, how much I exhaust myself throughout the day, or all the caffeine I avoid, I am awake late at night with an annoyingly active brain. Mornings just don’t work for me.

But, here’s the thing: the rest of the world isn’t just gonna accept that and abide by my schedule, so I’ve narrowed down the best morning routine to make sure I can get to where I have to be on time and have a good day.

1. Set multiple alarms and place it far from your bed.

This might be a night step, but it affects your morning. Set up multiple alarms so you eventually wake up from the noise and make sure that it’s far away from your bed so that you have to physically get up to turn it off. I know, I’m a genius for this one.

2. Open the curtains, immediately.

Let that natural sunshine pour in so you don’t get any crazy ideas (like crawling back into your cozy bed in a dimly-lit room).

3. Get a pot of coffee brewing.

ASAP.

4. Splash some cold water on your face.

And proceed with your skincare routine while your coffee’s brewing.

5. Play a podcast.

Save some podcasts on your phone so you have easy access when the morning comes. Listening to an interesting topic of conversation will slowly wake your brain up and you will become more alert.

6. Drink coffee & get ready & listen to podcast.

Sit down, drink your coffee, put on your makeup, and get dressed. Do all of this with your podcast playing in the background.

7. Head out as soon as you’re dressed.

Do not sit anymore. Do not dilly-dally. Go start your day!

This routine is perfect because it forces you to be active once you wake up, but not too much. Have a routine with steps that you can follow to ensure that you get everything done that you need to know. What’s important here, is not to scroll through your phone, or watch any videos because that will just distract you and allow your body to remain relaxed. Follow this routine for a few weeks and watch how easy your mornings will become!

The post Your Perfect Morning Routine appeared first on Nuage.

The foundation of peaceful living is respect. So if you and your roommates can agree on some basic rules to live by, you’ll all live happily every after. If it hasn’t been so easy for you, here’s a perfect list (AKA Roommate Agreement) to print out and share with your roommates.

1. Pay your share of the rent and utilities. Always.

This is never up for negotiation.

2. What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is yours.

Always assume that something that your roommate has brought into your shared space is theirs. Don’t use it because you have access to it. Just ask. This goes for food, clothes, shoes, makeup, skincare… anything you can imagine.

3. We both live here, so ask when you can have guests over.

Your boyfriend or girlfriend is not your +1. Neither are any of your closest friends. Before you bring anyone into your shared home, check with your roommate(s) to make sure it’s okay and respect what they say in return. Most importantly, if your roommate is cool with you having your significant other stay the night, do NOT abuse their kindness. Guests should never be in your shared space more than once per week.

4. Do not throw any parties without their consent.

Again, this is a shared space. You can’t just have whoever you want in the apartment and expect your roommate(s) to hide in their room or be okay with it.

5. Share chores and keep the apartment in good condition.

Even if you enjoy living in filth by not doing dishes, vacuuming the floors, and taking out the garbage, do it out of respect for the other people living there. Nobody wants to see your mess, especially not in common areas.

6. If you break or damage something that is theirs, pay to replace it.

This is basic courtesy. If you’re gonna take something that belongs to somebody else and ruin it, you have to replace it. Don’t even wait for the other person to ask you for it.

7. Don’t hog the bathroom or the kitchen. Also don’t make excessive noise in the bathroom or the kitchen early in the morning or late at night.

Care about your roommate being comfortable and happy. Something as little as not waking them up every morning at 6am because you need to make a breakfast smoothie is very doable on your part.

8. Keep things at a normal volume.

Nobody wants to hear your music, phone calls, or tv shows. Seriously, you’re not that interesting and you’re just bothering everyone around you.

9. Do not ever go into their room or use their bed for one of your friends. Ever.

This may be the worst offence you can commit as a roommate.NEVER let other people sleep in their bed.

10. If the trash if full, take it out.

Don’t be the jerk who plays a game of trash Tetris.

11. Make sure your food isn’t rotting in the fridge.

Your fridge isn’t another place for trash, FYI.

12. Invite your roommate out with you occasionally.

You guys don’t have to be best friends, but living with someone is a great opportunity to have another friend. Spending time together outside of the house will definitely help your relationship. You can go to the gym together, buy groceries, go to a concert, bar, etc.

13. Generally, be kind.

Your energy and the way you treat other people matters when you live together. Be kind and open with them, allow them to feel comfortable around you in your shared home.

14. Accept that your roommate will never be perfect.

We all have flaws, so pick your battles. Decide early on what you can tolerate and what you can’t because there definitely are forgivable offences. 

15. Communicate.

This is the most important rule. If something is bothering you, let the other person know in a way that is honest, fair and open. Listen to them as well.

So here you have it, this is Nuage’s version of The Perfect Roommate Agreement.

The post The Perfect Roommate Agreement appeared first on Nuage.